12. The thing seems incredible, and I would not have believed it
myself, nor have understood Paul's words here, had I not witnessed it
with my own eyes and experienced it. Were the apostle to repeat the
charge today, who could conceive that our first, noblest, most
respectable, godly and holy people, those whom we might expect, above
all others, to accept the Word of God--that they, I say, should be
enemies to the Christian doctrine? But the examples before us testify
very plainly that the "enemies" the apostle refers to must be the
individuals styled godly and worthy princes and noblemen, honorable
citizens, learned, wise, intelligent individuals. Yet if these could
devour at one bite the "Evangelicals," as they are now called, they
would do it.
13. If you ask, Whence such a disposition? I answer, it naturally
springs from human righteousness. For every individual who professes
human righteousness, and knows nothing of Christ, holds that
efficacious before God. He relies upon it and gratifies himself with
it, presuming thereby to present a flattering appearance in God's
sight and to render himself peculiarly acceptable to him. From being
proud and arrogant toward God, he comes to reject them who are not
righteous according to the Law; as illustrated in the instance of the
Pharisee. Lk 18, 11-12. But greater is his enmity and more bitter his
hatred toward the preaching that dares to censure such righteousness
and assert its futility to merit God's grace and eternal life.
14. I myself, and others with me, were dominated by such feelings
when, under popery, we claimed to be holy and pious; we must confess
the fact. If thirty years ago, when I was a devout, holy monk,
holding mass every day and having no thought but that I was in the
road leading directly to heaven--if then anyone had accused me--had
preached to me the things of this text and pronounced our
righteousness--which accorded not strictly with the Law of God, but
conformed to human doctrine and was manifestly idolatrous--pronounced
it without efficacy and said I was an enemy to the cross of Christ,
serving my own sensual appetites, I would immediately have at least
helped to find stones for putting to death such a Stephen, or to
gather wood for the burning of this worst of heretics.
15. So human nature ever does. The world cannot conduct itself in any
other way, when the declaration comes from heaven saying: "True you
are a holy man, a great and learned jurist, a conscientious regent, a
worthy prince, an honorable citizen, and so on, but with all your
authority and your upright character you are going to hell; your
every act is offensive and condemned in God's sight. If you would be
saved you must become an altogether different man; your mind and
heart must be changed." Let this be announced and the fire rises, the
Rhine is all ablaze; for the self-righteous regard it an intolerable
idea that lives so beautiful, lives devoted to praiseworthy callings,
should be publicly censured and condemned by the objectionable
preaching of a few insignificant individuals regarded as even
pernicious, and according to Paul, as filthy refuse, actual obstacles
to eternal life.
16. But you may say: "What? Do you forbid good works? Is it not right
to lead an honorable, virtuous life? Do you not acknowledge the
necessity of political laws, of civil governments? that upon
obedience to them depends the maintenance of discipline, peace and
honor? Indeed, do you not admit that God himself commands such
institutions and wills their observance, punishing where they are
disregarded? Much more would he have his own Law and the Ten
Commandments honored, not rejected. How dare you then assert that
such righteousness is misleading, and obstructive to eternal life?
What consistence is there in teaching people to observe the things of
the Law, to be righteous in that respect, and at the same time
censuring those things as condemned before God? How can the works of
the Law be good and precious, and yet repulsive and productive of
evil?"
17. I answer, Paul well knows the world takes its stand on this point
of righteousness by the Law, and hence would contradict him. But let
him who will, consult the apostle as to why he makes such bold
assertions here. For indeed the words of the text are not our words,
but his. True, law and government are essential in temporal life, as
Paul himself confesses, and God would have everyone honor and obey
them. Indeed, he has ordained their observance among Turks and
heathen. Yet it is a fact that these people, even the best and most
upright of them, they who lead honorable lives, are naturally in
their hearts enemies to Christ, and devote their intellectual powers
to exterminating God's people.
It must be universally admitted that the Turks, with all the
restrictions and austerity of life imposed upon them by the Koran, a
life more rigorous even than that of Christians--it must be admitted
they belong to the devil. In other words, we adjudge them condemned
with all their righteousness, but at the same time say they do right
in punishing thieves, robbers, murderers, drunkards and other
offenders; more, that Christians living within their jurisdiction are
under obligation to pay tribute, and to serve them with person and
property. Precisely the same thing is true respecting our princes who
persecute the Gospel and are open enemies to Christ: we must be
obedient to them, paying the tribute and rendering the service
imposed; yet they, and all obedient followers willingly consenting to
the persecution of the Gospel, must be looked upon as condemned
before God.
18. Similarly does Paul speak concerning the righteousness of all the
Jews and pious saints who are not Christians. His utterance is bold
and of certain sound. He censures them and, weeping, deprecatingly
refers to certain who direct the people to the righteousness of the
law with the sole result of making "enemies to the cross of Christ."
19. Again, all the praise he has for them is to say that their "end
is perdition"; they are condemned in spite of strenuous efforts all
their lives to teach and enforce the righteousness of works. Here on
earth it is truly a priceless distinction, an admirable and noble
treasure, a praiseworthy honor, to have the name of being a godly and
upright prince, ruler or citizen; a pious, virtuous wife or virgin.
Who would not praise and exalt such virtue? It is indeed a rare and
valuable thing in the world. But however beautiful, priceless and
admirable an honor it is, Paul tells us, it is ultimately condemned
and pertains not to heaven.